Attachment for spring-type clothespin



Feb. 26, 1957 H. TWEEDLE 2,782,480

ATTACHMENT FOR SPRING-TYPE CLOTHESPIN Filed June 15, 1955 T IF;- 7INVENTOR HA YfS 7/4 5501. 5,

ATTORNEY United States Patent ATTACHMENT FOR SPRING-TYPE CI/OTHESPINHayes Tweedle, Brighton, Ontario, Canada Application June 15, 1955,Serial No. 515,755

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-137) The present invention relates to an attachment forspring-type clothespin and it consists in the combination, constructionsand arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided an attachment for a conventional spring-typeclothespin which is simply formed of a single piece of spring metal andwhich may be quickly and easily attached to the conventional springtypeclothespin and, once attached, will act to maintain the jaws of suchclothespin in perfect alignment at all times thus eliminating theaccidental disassembly of such clothespins when the same are in use.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novelattachment for maintaining a conventional springtype clothespin inproper alignment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture and yet effective and elficient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter set forth which may be constructed of a single piece of sheetspring metal.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the inventionshowing the same in operative position upon a spring-type clothespin,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention,the view being taken from the rear thereof, and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but taken from the front thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein aconventional spring-type clothespin gen erally indicated at 10 andhaving a pair of complementary jaws 11 and 12 and provided,respectively, with gripping portions 13 and 14 on the outer side of eachof which is a transverse groove 15 and 16, likewise respectively. Eachof the members 11 and 12 is provided with, respectively, a tail portion17 and 18. As is customary, the two members 11 and 12 pivot upon a coilspring 19 one end of which has a laterally extending arm 20 whose outerend has integrally formed therewith a transverse arm 21 which normallylies in the groove 15. The other end of the spring 19 is provided with alaterally extending arm 22 having integrally formed at its outer end atrans verse arm 23 which normally lies within the groove 16.

The foregoing description of the spring-type clothespin is of aconventional clothespin and it will be seen that bringing the tailportions 17 and 18 together will open the gripping portions 13 and 14 sothat the clothespin may be utilized in conventional manner, such inwardmovement of the members 17 and 18 acting against the spring 19 andconsequently the transverse members 21 and 23. Release of the tailmembers 17 and 18 will permit the gripping portions 13 and 14 to cometogether.

The device of the present invention consists of a top plate 30 havingintegrally formed dependent side plates 31 whose rearward lower cornerportions are inturned to form shoulders 32. The forward end of the topplate 30 has integrally formed therewith a forwardly extending trough33.

In operation, it will be apparent that the device may be utilized uponeither side of the clothespin 10 but for the purposes of illustration itwill be considered to be mounted upon the member 11. In mounting thedevice upon the clothespin 10, the side plates 31 are moved downwardlybetween the sides of the members 11 and 12 and the arms 20 and 22 untilthe shoulders 32 engage beneath the member 11, as clearly indicated, forexample, in Figure 5 of the drawing. The top plate 30 will now snuglyencompass the outer face of the member 11 and it is only necessary tocomplete the mounting of the device to move the spring arm 20 in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figure l in order to permit the trough33 to enter the transverse groove 15 whereupon the transverse arm 21will be allowed to enter into the trough 33. Thus the device will beseen to be locked into position upon the clothespin 10 and it will befurther apparent that the shoulders 32 and side plates 31 will act tomaintain the members 11 and 12 in perfect alignment at all times thuspreventing the same from twisting with respect to each other as iscustomary with clothespins of this type not protected by the device ofthe present invention.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein,it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that many minormodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In combination with a spring-type clothespin having a pair of jaws eachprovided with a transverse groove in its outer face, and spring meanshaving portions normally engaging in said grooves, the provision ofmeans attachable to said clothespin for maintaining the jaws thereof inalignment, said means comprising a top plate, a pair of side platesdependent from the side edges of said top plate in close proximity tothe sides of both of said jaws, an inwardly directed shoulder formed atthe lower rear corner portion of each of said side plates, saidshoulders engaging the inner face of one of said jaws, and a troughformed integrally with the forward edge of said top plate, said troughbeing positionable in one of said transverse grooves inwardly of saidspring means, and said attachment being formed from a single piece offiat spring metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,020,203 Hornseth Mar. 12, 1912 1,795,622 Taylor Mar. 10, 19311,915,764 Schnabel June 27, 1933 2,328,806 Hoofer Sept. 7, 19432,466,284 Stinne 1 Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 173,707 Switzerland of1935

